The Old King and the New Bride Ch. 04

Having said his piece, Kerion turns back toward me and crawls across the marble to the doors. Lilith stands by her throne, staring wide-eyed at the two of us. She's never been called out before by anyone, and now she's just been blasted by a human and a very powerful spider. We've knocked her off balance a bit. Good.

"Ah, one final thing..." Kerion never turns around as he addresses Lilith. "If Michelle and I do manage to recover ourselves and fix this mess that Leyna's set up for us, I'll be sure to tell Lucifer how very helpful you were."

I smile as her jaw hits the floor. Kerion threw out an amazing last card. The threat of facing my wrath might not be enough to frighten her, but facing my husband's wrath leaves her speechless. Risking facing his anger just to be spiteful is suicide on her part. I watch her lip tremble as she considers just how bad Lucifer's eruption might be.

Knowing my husband and the situation we're in, it's probably going to be epic.

Forgetting to take one last look at her, I spin on my toes and stride out the doors. Kerion follows close behind me, his head held almost as high as mine. We may not have succeeded in gaining Lilith's help, but we definitely left one hell of a soul-searching session for her. I celebrate quietly as we turn back into the main hallway. I showed her my backbone twice now, so she knows that I'm ready and willing to use it.

The main hall is empty now, almost deathly silent compared to when we first entered here. I'm relieved; Kerion and I can talk in peace now without being questioned or berated by an overly-curious demon.

One of his long, slender legs strokes my back as we walk. "You did very well back there. I can see why the master trusts you so much."

I smile back. "You weren't so bad yourself."

"Gah, that woman is nothing to me. I've dealt with her on a few more childish occasions than that. We're all used to it now."

Lilith can get more childish?

I sigh and stare at the ground as we walk. "It's sad that she's willing to sacrifice her entire world just to see me miserable."

"That creature would sell her own mother to gain power," Kerion adds.

"Shit. Even I wouldn't go that far, and my mother's the one who got me into this mess."

My stomach turns at the thought. Mom's a little self-absorbed, but I'd never toss her into the pits for money or power. Not that I'd ever need to; her greed got me Lucifer and a crown, so I'm practically set. But I know her. Greedy as she is, I'm still her daughter, and there's been more than one occasion where she's gone ballistic on someone because they messed with me. She's a mess, but if I were in trouble, she would care enough about me to push Lilith into the fire first.

"Some people are users and abusers, nothing more." Kerion sighs along with me. "But we may have a chance with that last threat. As insatiable and self-centered as she is, Lilith's no fool. She knows that once the master find out what happened, he'll figure out that she never helped us when she had the chance. She's risking her black soul to spite you."

"Well...I guess that's good." My stomach is still turning from the thought of my mother. I wonder how she is. I haven't seen her since she was presented to me. I hope she's okay through all of this. I'd hate to lose her because Leyna and Lilith want my Husband more then Hell.

"It will certainly give her something to ponder."

I swallow whatever fear I have and straighten my spine. I set my eyes straight forward, staring down the hallway in the direction of my bedroom. Down there, my unknowing husband and my evil hyper-bitch doppelganger wait for me. I'm scared to fight her, but I have no choice. It's do-or-die time, and I'm ready to do.

"Well, until Lilith decides to help us, we do this alone."

Kerion nods and follows closely behind me, ready to sacrifice life and limb for a queen he barely knows. Loyalty at it's best.

* * *

Motherfucker.

The thought was angry, filled with hatred and disgust. And for good reason. That idiot Bradfield dared to show his spoiled face again, demanding yet another chance with Michelle and taunting him with his own twisted ideas of superiority and power.

It was a miracle in itself that Lucifer didn't kill the boy this time.

Instead, all it took was a few bursts of fire and another round of degradation to send the idiot packing. A spoiled little shit with a mouth to match, but completely lacking backbone or the ability to defend himself. It amazed Lucifer that this boy's face was still intact; surely he'd pissed off enough people with that attitude to warrant a few good beatings.

The old angel sighed. He didn't know why he spared the boy's life. It wasn't in his nature to do so. If he did things his way, that brat would be a soot stain on the marble flooring. But no. Something was holding him back from incinerating the child. Something strong, powerful and beautiful.

Ah, that's it. Killing him would upset Michelle.

He stopped, standing completely still in he empty hallway, his mind spinning and his emotions going haywire. Since when did he care about a human's emotions? After millennia of manipulating and seducing them to their dooms, he now suddenly cared for how his queen might feel.

But why? True, Michelle was his queen, but she was still human. Skinny, weak by comparison and completely unacquainted with the rules of this realm. It shouldn't matter what she thought of his actions. All she needed to do was keep his bed warm and the spare throne occupied. Her thought and emotions shouldn't have even been considered on the issue.

Unfortunately, they were. As much as he hated to admit it, Michelle did have a certain charm that left his head spinning and his knees weak. She could tempt him into anything, even a round of rough sex minutes after spilling his heart into that bath. She could tease him, taunt him and toy with him. And every time, he fell for it and ran straight into her arms.

Lucifer sighed and continued his languid pace. A human... millions of years later and it was a human that brought him to his knees. Not Michael, not his father. A teenage human girl from Arizona with long, dark hair and eyes that pierced through his rotten soul.

Women.

As much as he filled his thoughts with anger and frustration, he knew he could never deny that woman anything. She held what was left of his heart in her soft, warm hands, and she wasn't letting go for blood, flood or fire.

Not that he minded being entranced by her. Michelle was a knockout in her own right. Long legs, soft skin, eyes that burned through him and a rack he could springboard from. She was by no means as famous as Gisele Bündchen-- poor Gisele could never compare to his lithe, ample queen -- but she was more than tempting enough to draw his eyes during even the most crucial of conversations.

But it was more, much more than her simple appeal or her ability to coax him into anything. Michelle cared for him, taking the time to let him rant and pour his heart out when no one else would care to listen. She'd shown him kindness and sympathy when no one else dared to. She kept repeating how much she loved him, how much she wanted him, and how much she never wanted to hurt him. How she would never leave him until he tried to harm her.

She'd promised that. No one had ever promised him that. Even his father had abandoned him, and for the slightest of reasons. But Michelle...she had more courage and heart in her than most demons. She'd charmed Beelzebub and the others, and managed to put Lilith in her place, so she couldn't be completely foolish and incompetent. In truth, she was anything but. After spending only a week being married to her, Lucifer could tell she was more than able to hold the reigns of his kingdom. If Michael somehow managed to take him out for a moment, Michelle would make sure the ship stayed afloat.

It was a deadly mix of beauty, strength and kindness that made him lose all thought and spill his soul. She had the power and the skills to make him do anything she wanted but never took advantage of them. Yet she was a genuinely sweet soul who only asked form him to share the bed and speak his thoughts.

"Alright, fine! I love the woman!" He yelled the words into the empty air. "There! Satisfied?"

In a strange way, the silence almost was.

He sighed and kicked at a small stone as he walked. That woman was intoxicating, almost annoyingly so. But she was kind and gentle enough not to drive him mad. Unlike that damned Leyna...

Disgusting witch.

He shivered at the thought of the wretched creature. Arrogant, idiotic and beyond infuriating, she would stop at nothing to gain his attention. It wasn't Leyna's looks or body that repelled him, it was her attitude. Her pride and vanity rivaled Lilith herself, but her lower rank made it all the more annoying. That, and she constantly degraded Michelle simply for being human. He growled to himself, barely resisting the urge to slam his fist into the wall.

She could at least find a good argument.

Indeed. Michelle being a human wasn't grounds to expel her as queen. Had she been inept or cowardly, Leyna would have had a stronger choice of argument. Unfortunately, the bitch wasn't bright enough to think that deeply and Michelle possessed none of the qualities that might warrant an expulsion. Luck and the fates favored Michelle.

Lucifer closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear Leyna and that human boy from his mind. Instead, he focused on Michelle. She'd left dinner so quickly -- granted, Lilith had overstepped her boundaries and was rightly punished for it -- and left him almost aching for her presence. He'd thought about her soft body throughout the entire meal, fighting the urge to exit the room and shoot off a round and relieve himself. Instead, he forced himself to focus on the dinner's conversations, promising himself that he would let loose with his queen as soon as the meal had ended.

The sudden reminder of sweet relief had him quickening his pace. The very idea of Michelle naked underneath him was enough to make his cock rise.

Fuck it. That woman's got me hook, line and sinker.

He nearly ran down the hallway, his mind trained on the prospect of having Michelle's tight, sweet body caressing his. The memory of their first coupling nearly drove him mad: the heat, the slickness, her sharp cries of pleasure. They way her hips swayed with every thrust, long strands of her hair plastered to her flesh. It was beautiful and maddening and perfect all at once. And she was a virgin. Even better.

The images drove him on, forcing him to pick up speed. A trail of fire marked his path along the smooth marble floor, a few feathers breaking off from his wings as he ran. Rounding the last corner, he screeched to a halt, stopping just inches from the enormous door. His lust nearly setting the place ablaze, Lucifer's hand shot out and gripped the handle jerking back sharply and pulling it wide open.

"Michelle!" He stepped through the doorway, slamming the heavy wooden barrier behind him.

Confusion stopped him from hauling her onto his shoulder and throwing her onto the bed. Michelle stood before the open wardrobe, stark naked and rummaging through the endless racks of clothing. Every so often she would pullout a piece of filmy lingerie or an elaborate dress, holding them up to her chest and smiling at the mirrors that lined the armoire's doors.

She should be in bed.

Lucifer stared at her, confused and unsure of how to act. She'd said she wanted a bath and to sleep, yet there was no smell of soap or wild hair that would suggest that she did either. She spun around while holding a dress against her breasts, admiring herself in the mirror as if she were a nymph. She might as well be. Her waist was lithe but strong. Her long legs, slender yet exquisitely muscled, entranced him as he stared. Her firm ass silently beckoned him closer.

Fuck. I could bounce a quarter off that ass.

She laughed softly to herself, a sound that sent a shiver up his spine. It was high-pitched, light and airy...triumphant, almost. As if she'd just conquered a great enemy and was celebrating by herself.

Something in his mind shifted, a small warning light beginning to flicker. This was so...un-Michelle. She would never normally play with her clothing so childishly or ignore his call so blatantly. And that laugh...

He shook his head, banishing all negative thoughts from his mind. Of course this was Michelle. Her behavior, was strange, yes, but not unexpected. It was the only time she'd ever been by herself, so it was only normal that she'd explore. Her laugh must be from excitement. After all, she did conquer him in a way that no creature had, so she had plenty to be happy about.

He cleared his throat, a smile slowly returning to his face. "Michelle?"

She gasped and spun around, clutching a delicately embroidered gown to her chest. Her hazel eyes were wide with fear and shock, the softened to curious. A tiny, surprised smile broke onto her lips, and she giggled again softly.

Another warning light began to flicker. She looked at him as if she couldn't believe he was here. Such curiosity, such surprise. Like this was the first time she'd seen him. She was so shy now; no running at him and tackling him to the ground, no sarcastically playful greeting, no seductive smiles meant to entice him close. No, she acted as if... as if she'd never believed him real.

She gave a soft laugh and she her head slightly. "Hello, darling."

Darling?

A myriad of red flags now sprung up in his mind. She'd never called him darling or been this surprised to see him or acted so childishly. His head spun, trying to connect puzzle pieces that weren't made for each other.

What the fuck is wrong with her?

Her shy smile faded, replaced with a look of concern. "Sweetheart? What's wrong?"

Another pet name? Lucifer shook his head vigorously, trying and failing to make what he knew of Michelle and the things he was seeing now meld. None of the pieces matched, and the puzzle started to crumble in his hands. His heart began to race, doubts about the woman he was with starting to bubble up from the pits of his soul. What if she really was this childish, and her calm demeanor and dark intelligence was all an act?

Michelle's lovely face dropped even more. Skittishly, she dropped the dress to the floor and stepped over the piles of clothing on the floor, slowly making her way towards him. All thought in Lucifer's head stopped. As she walked, her fantastic tits bounced and jiggled, drawing his eyes -- and his thoughts -- away from his inner turmoil.

Mother of fuck, they're gorgeous.

As he watched, he noticed her breasts were curiously absent of their delicate piercings. He knew they'd caused her some discomfort when he'd first given them to her, but Michelle was not one to take out something so freely given. That sent another warning off in his head, but the movement and bounce of her tits quieted its harsh ring.

She closed the distance between them and stepped up close, pressing her magnificent breasts against his chest. Her warm flesh seared his own flesh just as his icy coldness made her nipples pucker. A tiny smile bloomed on his face. She may be acting strangely, but she hadn't lost her touch.

Warm, slender arms looped around his neck as her long, lean legs stretching up so she could see him better. Thin, flexible fingers wove into his hair, gently tugging and spinning teasing little circles along his scalp.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was soft and playful.

He sighed and shook his head, smiling. "Nothing."

Her eyes brightened a bit. "Good. I'd hate to see my gorgeous husband looking so upset. It mars your pretty face."

Giving a soft laugh, Lucifer smiled and dipped his head. She inclined hers, allowing their lips to touch, then slowly meld together. It was a long, slow, passionate kiss - a good one by all standards, but yet another warning went off in his head. She wasn't as playful as usual. She let him do every movement, never spiking her tongue into his mouth or nipping his lip to tease him. His old doubts reared their ugly heads again, stronger and more insistent than before.

Groaning, he broke their kiss earlier than he usually would. Something about Michelle tonight was rubbing him the wrong way. She was off, very off. Off enough to make even him uneasy.

"Hey." Her hands reached up to cup his face. "What is it?"

He sighed. "Nothing. Just stress."

"Oh," she purred. "Stress about what?"

"Belphagor needed help handling a few late debts," he grumbled. "I swear, those damn royals are a pain in my ass."

Michelle scoffed. "Belphagor? Can't that old bastard do it himself?"

He stared at her, dumbfounded and horrified. "Michelle?"

"You'd think after running that circle all that time that he could do something without your help." She sneered to herself. "I think he might have worked past his time, Lucifer. Maybe you should start thinking about hiring someone else to fill his spot."

Lucifer's mind screeched to a halt. Since when did his sweet, respectful wife ever bitch about one of his top commanders? Never. She'd shown Belphagor and the others more than enough grace at the dinner table, earning her their rarely-seen instantaneous respect. The final warning light was lit, causing Lucifer pulled away from her. Something wasn't right. Physically, she was fine, but emotionally and mentally this wasn't Michelle.

Grunting out of frustration and confusion, he stepped away and strode towards the bed, trying to find a clear space in the room for him to think. He didn't get far. Michelle followed right behind him, berating him with questions. She seemed almost frantic, less worried about his mental health and more worried about him pulling away.

"Lucifer! What's wrong? What did I do?"

He groaned to himself, his mind bombarded with conflicting thoughts: the possibility that this woman wasn't really Michelle, and the horror of admitting such an awful idea.

Warm arms looped around his waist, pulling him tight against her lithe frame. Her head rested against his back. One hands trailed down to the top of his jeans, toying with the thick fabric and stroking his flesh.

"Please. Tell me what's wrong," she pleaded. "Lucifer."

The warning lights grew louder and brighter, his own gut beginning to twist in horror. She was too forward here, to desperate to calm his nerves. She wasn't listening; she wasn't letting him vent his thoughts like she always did. She was trying to keep them in, trying to use her body to make him forget his discomfort.

Her fingers dipped lower, teasing the edge of his pants. The threatened to slip low, low into the dark abyss where his most precious weapon lay. Normally, he would have welcomed such an intrusion, but not today, not now. His mind was reeling, hit emotions boiling. Now was not the time for games.

"Stop." His voice was low, but stern enough for her to hear. "You are not yourself."

She scoffed. "You are not yourself. What's wrong with you? I'm standing here naked and all you can do is pull away from me. Don't you want me? Don't you love me?" Her voice was whiney, like a child's when they didn't get a toy.

"Yes, of course. But I would love you more if you behaved like your normal self!" he snapped.

She pulled her hands back. "My normal self?"

He stilled. She sounded confused, almost lost at his words. As if she didn't know what her normal self was.

Silence followed for a moment, then the feeling of her warm skin disappeared from his back, leaving him cold and strangely alone.